10 to Note: Winter Preview 2026

I sifted through nearly a thousand children’s books coming out in December, January, and February to bring you the ten that most jumped out to me.

Let’s get started . . .

Picture Books

The Rare Bird by Elisha Cooper

February 24 | Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan) | Grades K-2

Cooper’s last effort, the excellent Here Is a Book, felt like a mission statement (and I mean that in a good way). Where do you go from there? How about a cat who daydreams about being a bird?

Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Carson Ellis

February 3 | Orchard Books (Scholastic) | Grades K-3

If The Three Billy Goats Gruff was any indication, I expect this edition of Folktales (Mac’s Version) to have charm, humor, and great artwork (courtesy of Carson Ellis).

Early Reader

The Monster and Puppet Show! by Kate Micucci

February 24 | Union Square Kids | Grades K-2

It’s been a bit since there was a new Elephant & Piggie Like Reading book. I was beginning to wonder if the series had wrapped. So I was glad to see the series continue with The Monster and Puppet Show!, a story about what happens when a hand puppet becomes a little too demanding.

Unsettling Salad! (Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales) by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown

February 3 | Simon & Schuster | Grades 1-3

I’m still just so pleased to see Jasper Rabbit entering the chapter book space. Leaning into the Twilight Zone vibes, this story is a cautionary tale about veggies that bite back.

Venus Washington and the Lasagna Drama by Maisha Oso, illustrated by Courtney Lovett

January 6 | Antheneum Books (S&S) | Grades 1-3

We need more quality chapter book series in the world, and I’m hopeful the new Venus Washington series fits the bill. In this book, Venus and her friends make a shocking discovery about grandma’s secret lasagna ingredient.

Middle Grade Fiction

The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller

January 13 | Philomel Books (Penguin) | Grades 5 and Up

Chanel Miller returns after collecting a Newbery Honor for her first middle-grade book, Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All. The Moon Without Stars (four starred reviews and counting) is about a creative 7th grader who finds herself thrust into the popular crowd, only to learn that she might not like what it takes to stay there.

The Lion’s Run by Sara Pennypacker

February 3 | Balzer + Bray | Grades 4-6

Following the huge popularity of Pax and Pax, Journey Home, Pennypacker goes historical in this story about an orphan in Nazi-occupied France. A book so well-suited for Alan Gratz fans, that his blurb is on the cover.

Graphic Novels

Thick as Thieves (Sidekicks) by Dan Santat

January 6 | Graphix (Scholastic) | Grades 3-7

It’s the sequel we’ve waited . . . let’s see . . . a decade and a half for. The team of superhero pet sidekicks is back.

Wrong Friend by Charise Mericle Harper, illustrated by Rory Lucey

January 20 | First Second (Macmillan) | Grades 3-6

When you think about it, BFF is a pretty bold acronym. Best friend forever? This book, by the team that brought us Bad Sister, explores what happens when the BFF bond begins to break.

Basket Ball: The Story of the All-American Game by Kadir Nelson

January 13 | Little, Brown | Grades 3-7

Remember We Are the Ship? Kadir Nelson’s incredibly researched and illustrated look at Negro League baseball? Now the man has set his sights on basketball, and from the sample I’ve seen, it’s as impressive as its predecessor.

And – side note – it’s already in the running for Best Case Cover of 2026:

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Filed under: Previews